October 2016: Costume in UN Celebration

In October 2016, eight-year-old Alysha brought home a folded announcement about their school’s United Nations Celebration. Each student would represent a country and participate in a costume parade with a short introduction. She handed the paper to her mother that evening, watching quietly as it was read from top to bottom. There was a brief pause at the mention of costumes — a silent calculation of expenses — before her mother looked at her and asked, “Gusto mo ba talagang sumali?” Alysha nodded. The form was signed the next day.

A few days later, she learned she would be representing Spain. The name sounded elegant to her ears. At home, they searched online images on her mother’s phone to see what traditional Spanish attire looked like — bright red dresses, layered ruffles, flowers tucked into neatly tied hair. Renting a full traje de flamenca was too expensive, so they improvised. Her mother found a red dress in a local shop and paired it with a black shawl borrowed from a neighbor. A large artificial flower was clipped into Alysha’s hair, which they practiced tying into a bun. She tried walking while lightly holding the sides of her skirt, imitating the poised stance she had seen in pictures.

In the evenings, they rehearsed her short script: “Good morning. I am Alysha, representing Spain. Spain is known for flamenco dancing, beautiful architecture, and delicious paella. Thank you.”

She practiced in front of a mirror, sometimes smiling too early, sometimes speaking too softly. Her mother reminded her gently to stand straight and say the word “architecture” clearly.

On the morning of the event, Alysha woke up feeling a mix of excitement and nerves. Her hair was carefully secured, the red flower pinned slightly to one side. A light dusting of powder softened her face. Before heading to school, her mother took photos outside their house — Alysha holding her skirt slightly out to the sides, unsure whether to smile widely or remain serious. In the school grounds, flags decorated the stage, and children dressed as countries from all over the world filled the area with color and chatter. The red of her dress stood out brightly among pastel costumes and barongs.

When her turn came, she walked to the center of the stage with small, careful steps. The fabric swayed lightly as she moved. She paused, took a breath, and delivered her lines. Her voice trembled at first, but she finished without forgetting a word. The applause felt louder than she expected. She gave a small bow — not entirely sure if that was required, but it felt right — and walked back to her place, heart pounding but relieved.

February 2025: Group dance competition

In February 2025, Alysha joined her school intrams dance competition because of her genuine interest in dancing. By then, she had become more outgoing and energetic, and joining the competition felt exciting rather than intimidating. Before official rehearsals even started, she would sometimes practice at home on her own, replaying parts of the choreography, following music in front of a mirror, and trying to improve her timing and expressions little by little.

As practices continued, she ended up becoming one of the lead dancers in the group. Rehearsals were often tiring and noisy, with teammates repeating sections over and over to stay synchronized. Alysha enjoyed the process despite the pressure, especially the moments when the group finally managed to perform parts cleanly together. While she took the performance seriously, practices still had their usual mix of laughter, mistakes, teasing, and last-minute adjustments common during school events.

When the competition day arrived, the covered court was crowded and loud with students cheering for different teams. Alysha felt nervous before going on stage, but once the music started, she focused on following the choreography and maintaining her energy throughout the performance. Some parts went smoother than others, but overall the group managed to perform confidently and finish strong.

Afterwards, she felt relieved and happy seeing her teammates celebrate together. Whether they placed or not mattered less to her than the experience itself. The competition became one of those memorable senior high moments that reflected her enjoyment of dancing and willingness to put herself out there.